10°
Mostly sunny
HI 16°
LO 5°
Sub-average mid-April warmth · widely called near-ideal racing
Boston Marathon
The oldest annual marathon in the world. You don't apply, you earn your bib with a qualifying time on another course.
First run 1897, Boston is the oldest annual marathon in the world and always runs on Patriots' Day. It is the only Abbott World Marathon Major that is qualifier-only, there is no ballot or lottery.
Ballot opens
Sep 8, 2026
Window opens · free to enter
Next up
Ballot closes
Sep 12, 2026
Last day to submit
Draw / results
Sep 23, 2026
Winners notified
Race day
Apr 19, 2027
April 19, 2027
OPENS IN 81 DAYS · SEP 8, 2026
Climate
Past three years on race day
Historical conditions on the course, what to expect, what to pack.
14°
Sunny
HI 21°
LO 8°
Sunny and warm · tailwind helped, but late-race overheating common
11°
Light rain
HI 13°
LO 8°
Damp, gloomy, full-route headwind · 99% humidity at the gun
Course·
Point-to-point, Hopkinton to Boylston Street
Hopkinton → Boylston Street
Cool-to-warm, variable
Elevation
Course profile
Net downhill but deceptive. A steep early plunge out of Hopkinton chews up your quads before the Newton hills stack up between miles 16 and 21, Heartbreak Hill the last and most famous climb.
Total ascent·84m
Total descent·187m
Highest point·107m @ 0 km
PAST RESULTS
Qualifier history
The 130th Boston Marathon drew 33,249 qualifying-time entries, with the BAA's cutoff at 4 minutes 34 seconds under. Browse every year's qualifier pool, cutoff, and BQ standards.
2026 · Latest
33,249
BAA cutoff at 4 minutes 34 seconds under. 73% accepted of the qualifier pool.
View 2026 results →
Qualifier pool · 2021 → 2026
24K23K33K36K33K
'21'23'24'25'26
2026
→
33,249
Cutoff 4 minutes 34 seconds under
130TH BOSTON MARATHON
2025
→
36,393
Cutoff 6 minutes 51 seconds under
129TH BOSTON MARATHON
2024
→
33,058
Cutoff 5 minutes 29 seconds under
128TH BOSTON MARATHON
2023
→
23,267
Cutoff No cutoff, all qualifiers accepted
127TH BOSTON MARATHON
2022
→
—
Cutoff No cutoff, all qualifiers accepted
126TH BOSTON MARATHON
2021
→
23,824
Cutoff 7 minutes 47 seconds under
125TH BOSTON MARATHON
CHARITY PLACES
Charity places
The non-ballot route in. Boston Marathon has 27 official charity partners, with fundraising minimums starting at $750 (Michael J. Fox Foundation (Team Fox), Health) and rising to $15,000+ for the highest-demand partners. Applications open Aug, right after ballot results.
Partners
27
11 cause areas
Min from
$750
up to $15,000
Apps open
Aug
after ballot
Apps close
Nov
most earlier
MJ
Browse all charity partners
→
Michael J. Fox Foundation (Team Fox)
Health
$750min raise
Applications open
2F
261 Fearless
Other
$2,261min raise
Closed
BP
Boston Police Foundation
Other
$2,500min raise
Applications open
SR
Spaulding Race for Rehab
Disability
$7,500min raise
Applications open
DF
Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism
Disability
$8,000min raise
Applications open
BI
Beth Israel Lahey Health (Team BILH)
Health
$9,500min raise
Closed
Photos
On the course
Scenes from the 2025 edition, the right-on-Hereford-left-on-Boylston finish and the Boston faithful.
Finish · 2025
Crowd · 2025
FAQ
Common questions
When is the 2027 Boston Marathon?
The 2027 Boston Marathon, the 131st edition, runs on Monday, April 19, 2027, Patriots' Day in Massachusetts. Boston is the oldest annual marathon in the world, first run in 1897.
Is there a lottery for the Boston Marathon?
No. Boston is the only Abbott World Marathon Major that is qualifier-only, there is no ballot or lottery. Entry is earned by running a certified marathon within the BAA's time standards, and cutoffs are typically faster than the published standard.
What is the Boston Marathon qualifying time for 2027?
The 2027 open standards are 2:55 for men 18–34 and 3:25 for women 18–34, with age-graded adjustments for older runners. However, qualifying only gets you an application, cutoffs are typically faster than the published BQ.
How can I run Boston without qualifying?
Charity bibs are the main non-qualifier route. The BAA's John Hancock charity partner program typically requires a $5,000+ fundraising minimum, with some charities running higher. Official tour operators also sell guaranteed entries packaged with travel.
How many runners are in the Boston Marathon?
The 2027 field is approximately 30,000 runners. Boston's capped field is smaller than London, Chicago, Berlin, and New York, which contributes to the qualifier-only competitiveness.